After working with spring cleaning in April, it seems fitting to practice simplicity for the month of May. Sri Gurudev often cited simple living as a key element of a spiritual life. Like cleanliness, this practice applies to every aspect of our lifestyle, from our homes and diets, to our hearts and minds.
Simplicity implies first of all a physical environment that is clean and free of clutter, exemplifying the understanding that accumulating material things can never be a source of genuine happiness. Sri Gurudev always encouraged us to maintain a diet consisting of whole foods, avoiding complex combinations and elaborate preparations. This saves energy in preparing and digesting our meals that can then be used for our service and spiritual practice.
Even our schedules can be simplified by avoiding the tendency to overfill our days with to-do’s and multi-tasking at every turn. Focusing on one thing at a time enables us to give our wholehearted attention and encourages us to sustain a meditative mind. A regular practice of meditation enables us to quiet the incessant and often confused thought forms in the mind that make it difficult to clearly reflect the truth.
The focus of our spiritual growth can be simplified by embracing one teaching at a time. There are many scriptures, quotes and sayings that may resonate with us, but we make good use of them when we zero in on one and integrate that concept into the way we perform whatever we do. Two of my personal favorites are practicing contentment and equanimity.
One of the most profound forms of simplifying our lives is accomplished by reflecting on what is truly important to us in the broadest sense. Identifying what we consider to be the overarching purpose for this life empowers us to choose very consciously how we use our time and energy.
In a culture where we are inundated with sensory attractions, endless forms of entertainment and empty promises of fulfillment, it is crucial that we clarify this for ourselves. Only then can we channel our energies in a way that feels meaningful and awakens us to our true nature.
